Core77

[ip_wirelessly]

And away we go! Here's the brief for the 1HDC v1.1:

What is it?:
The One Hour Design Challenge is an exercise intended to flex the creative muscles. You have one hour (honor system) to address the challenge using whatever medium suits your skills best.

Doors Open:
Monday, October 1st
10 AM PST (5 GMT)


Last Call:
Wednesday, October 10th
1 PM PST (8 GMT)


THEME:
Bag the Plastic Bag


BRIEF:
"No Bag!" Picking up on the themes of our previous 1HDC, we call on
designers to come up with innovative ways to get rid of the ubiquitous
plastic bag. 60,000 of these things are used every 5 seconds in the U.S.
alone (that totals, if you can believe it, to 43 million bags used during
your one hour of design challenge. World-wide, the number of plastic bags
used each year is a staggering 4,000,000,000,000). Better get to it.


Prize:
iPod Nano (no bag)


Jury:
Winner will be selected by the Core77 Admin. Community discussion is
encouraged to help ensure the best design wins[/b]

Uploads are now fixed. - admin

[kWEBER]

Heres my submission, enjoy! Looking forward to seeing what other people come up with..
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[VanDeBar]

Problem: Reusable bags are a good solution to plastic bags but how to always keep a reusable bag on you, minus the annoying space it takes in your pockets?

Proposal: A wallet that comprise a plastic compartment containing a reusable bag. The bag is attached to the compartment that acts as a handle in conjunction with the wallet. I used a plastic container rather than a simple wallet pocket because I wanted the bag to be easily folded back in and I didn’t wanted the bag to do a big bump in the wallet.

The idea of integrating the bag to the wallet is that whenever you buy a product, you usually take your wallet out to pay it.

Hope you like it!

[aeater]

Pierced is conservation on several levels. On the surface it eliminates plastic bags, while its limiting nature encourages smarter shopping. Less buying in bulk and consuming needlessly. It could also cause manufacturers to rethink their packaging in order to accommodate Pierced's design, less plastic and waste. Imagined for grocers, baggers need only to slip the products onto the rope, made of a cheap fiber mesh, before fastening.

[zt67638]

A biodegradable bag that uses organic fertilizer for print and contains an embedded flower seed. The bag contains everything needed to grow a real flower and gains value. Once planted, the users are able to see actual evidence of the effect they have on the environment.

[jknodell]

I wanted to preface my concept by saying I don't have enough faith in the good nature of most people to adopt earth-friendly shopping principles on their own (I can't even seem to remember taking our reusable bags every time I shop) So I think the major grocers need to step up and make a financial investment in getting things moving. Most sell reusable bags now, and that's great, but due to the extreme volume of the problem that is plastic bags, I think they're doing the bare minimum.

They should offer reusable bags for free for a short time until most of the people who need them, have them, then offer discounts for using the bags, say, a dollar off your purchase per bag or maybe a percentage off per bag. They can even go as far as to charge for the use of bags they DON'T bring. Aldi already charges for bags, and they have for a long time.

There are also collapsible shopping carts that many people use. Offer incentives for using these rather than shopping carts from the store.

In general, I think the products are in place to remedy the problem of obscene plastic bag use. I think the problem is more in the infastructure and how we promote and reward people for using them. There are still too many people with the mentality "what's in it for me?" And while I certainly don't condone apathy, we can't wait for human nature to evolve before trying to save the planet.

...*puts soap box away*...

My concept is intended for young professionals, maybe with a roommate or a newlywed couple that don't consume a large amount of food. It's a semi rigid caddy that conforms to your body and hangs across your shoulder. It also has side handles for loading into your car.

The dividers act not only as ways to segregate food, but also provide structural support.

I also think the fact that it isn't a small collapsible bag will make people more likely to remember it before they leave the house to shop.

[iiicola]

I am also getting the same message I can't upload any files at all

[cloughna]

i tend to agree with jknodell, we cant wait on the consumer to grow a conscience. We need to entice them.

Specs and reasoning for the bag:

1. Bag and strap is made of eco-intelligent(R) polyester by victor-innovatex. (I know it looks rigid, but trust me, it isnt). This material has been classified as a technical nutrient by MDBC's Cradle 2 Cradle certification program.

The strap has a barcode on it that serves the same function as a typical stop and shop card, as well as other functions:

1. Using the barcode on the strap would entitle you to a discount. This discount would most likely be 25-50% of the savings the company makes by not having to purchase disposable plastic bags.

2.By scanning the barcode everytime you shop, the company can determine how many bags it has saved. Using this, along with data similar to that found by Australia's department of environment and heritage (they found driving a car 1km is equal to the use of 8.7 bags.) You could determine how many "miles driven" you have saved the environment.

These data can be displayed on your receipt alongside how much money you saved using your card. Personally, i like looking at the YTD savings i get from my stop and shop card, it makes the savings more tangible.

As the savings (both environmental and monetary) for the consumer grow, they will see more of a value in the bag itself, which will create a greater connection, which will increase the lifetime of the bag, which conserves resources.

Pardon the poor drawing, im an engineer, and proe is about as artisitic as it gets. Maybe thats why i work with ID's? I think so.

[Design coterie]

Here's my submission.

I was thinking about plastic bags and that got me thinking about other items I see thrown away a lot; the one that really stuck out was bicycle tubes. When I was in school we used them for mold straps but for the most part they go straight to the heap.

My idea was to fashion an item from used bicycle tubes to not only decrease the consumption of plastic bags but to also reuse another throw-away item. This doubles the positive impact of using a bag other than the typical plastic.

I also added a canvas insert for visual reasons as well as cradling the groceries a bit better. I gave the bag green accent handles for two reasons one: to displace the weight of the load and two: because as we all know recycled/reused designs have to have some sort of green (well not really, but I think it works).

[Michael Douglas]

method to encourage recycling


So many bags are used daily. The usage numbers are astronomical.
“If you can’t beat them, join them.”

The idea is to color coordinate the current plastic bags. Each bag has a color and material category branded on the bottom of the bag. Garbage, glass, paper, plastic, aluminum.

For this idea to work, a joint effort has to take place. The production of these color coordinated bags has to be a standard. The idea can start city, grow to state, grow to nation, and eventually worldwide.

All stores that order the common plastic bags, will be distributed these color coordinated bags, which will serve as the industry standard plastic bag. Stores will still have plenty of room on the bags for advertising and branding.

The main idea is to encourage customers to recylce materials they dispose off. The bags create a visual aid, and hopefully an inspiration to separate garbage. “We have to start somewhere.”

[arydstedt]

Charging a small fee for each plastic bag is an obvious economic incentive for people to both use less bags and implement greener alternatives. While this system is commonly used in Western Europe, it hasnt caught on here. Ive thought a lot about it, and wondered why we dont do that here. Long story short, the American obsession with getting whatever we want, whenever we want is just too important for store owners to overlook, and possibly challenge with a fee for something so common place and well-deserved.
Finally, I get to do something with all this thinking about plastic bags. While sitting on the couch I came up with the "Lotto Bag." A private company (state sanctioned, nationally advertised) would produce high quality plastic bags, possibly green, recycled, soy based bags or whatever, each with a lottery number printed on it. Maybe they'd have leprechauns and four leaf clovers on them. All chains grocerys, individual bodegas and delis would be offered this product, just like the traditional lottery tickets. Personally, I think the lottery should be local, ie. the pool of numbers should be from each store or local community. At least at the larger chain markets, so people and could have a sense that they could actually win. The prizes would be much more reasonable, say an Ipod Nano. Drawings would be held weekly or monthly and results could posted online and at the registers. Of course, you could only win if you bring in the bag intact. The overall theme of the lottery would be "for a healthier environment"
Currently, there is nothing stopping stores from also having regular bags for free. Well, the state would have to step in. This is one place I think the state could step into without much of a fuss. If mayors and congressmen all over the US. can tell us where not to inhale/exhale and what not to eat (trans fats), I'm sure they can give us incentives to stop using so many bags. We happily recycle our bottles cans and newspapers, and its legally enforced.
A percentage of the profit would go to the store. Obviously the state would get their cut, which they could put towards supporting green technology, oil subsidies, gamblers anonymous or whatever they felt would serve US best. Maybe funds could be directly allocated to local issues like the high school football team. Those bags would have the team logo on them that month. The rest of the proceeds would go towards prizes.
The exact price of the bags would have to be carefully determined. I'm assuming there is a point, somewhere along the curve where most people would rather bring their own bag than pay (lets say a buck) for a bag. This majority group reduces the number of bags on our planet .
A healthy chunk of the population would be too lazy/busy/arrogant to bring a bag. They'll keep the lottery alive.
Then there are the elite few who would obsessively shop for the chance to win a flat screen and trips to day spas. Their closets and drawers would be stuffed with numerically sorted plastic bags. Regardless, all Lotto Bag buyers would be doing their small part in supporting the government's efforts to build hybrid photocopiers.
The real question to me is, "why not just force stores to charge for plastic bags". The answer: IT'S NOT THE AMERICAN WAY. Give people the idea they have been given a choice. Really, it's an incentive. We buy lottery tickets by the millions. They might as well be printed on something useful instead of just cards tossed on the sidewalk.
I can for see a lot of social, racial and socio-economic arguments against the Lotto Bag. The same can be of the traditional scratch off and television lotteries. They are not only allowed to exist but are completely state sponsored. The bags could fly.
A bit of a side note, and really a whole other idea, while at the same time synthesizing the origianl idea; the bags should be made to fit stylish kitchen, garbage cans: "Lotto Can". Ultimately a normally worthless object becomes an attractive and enticing product. People will always use plastic bags. When plastic bags are thought of as valueless, they become garbage.

[kjasinski]

my concept involves altering the entire shopping experience. the product is a canvas or woven recycled hdpe strip pouch that is supported by a plastic frame structure. this product is brought to the store by the shopper and laid across the shopping cart. (two of these products will fit in one cart.) the shopper fills up the pouches while shopping being able to separate fragile items from non fragile items, or cold from hot in their respective pouches.
when done shopping the shopper places the pouch on the conveyer (eliminating the need to continually dive into the cart) in one swift motion and it collapses to reveal the items inside. the items are scanned and placed back in the pouch so they can be taken home

[progee818]

reTHINK shopping is about coming up with an innovative, practical, "green" solution to the wasteful-bag-world we live in. this is a new product experience, but still somewhat familiar to the user. it also lends for any size quantity shopping.

MATERIAL>> this cylindrical container houses a conveyor mechanism that would take in and let out bags that come with the product. these bags are durable, woven, recycled HDPE and include two rubber "horseshoes" on the bottom. the user folds the horseshoes together, tightly compacting the rest of the bag within, then it is fed into the container.

STORAGE>> the user can keep the container in the trunk of the car or in the home. when the user is shopping, the clip on the container allows for attachment to the shopping cart while shopping, without taking up space inside the cart.

INTUITION>> as bags are put into this container and pulled out, part of the next bag becomes exposed for next time. (similar to a kleenex box)

MOTIVATION>> as practiced in many stores already, this product can be integrated into systems where bringing your own bags discounts off your bill.

[JUSTIN GARGASZ]

The pre-usable garbage bag gives a second life to garbage bags, making a product that every body uses work twice as hard.

The outside of the bag is white and the inside of the bag is black. A portion of the bag is clear to remind the user of the happy groceries or the sad garbage inside.

First use to take groceries home (white side out), then flip inside out (black side out), next fill with garbage and take to curb.

[sweetnessiwasonlyjoking]

The first time I saw a furoshiki (Japanese wrapping cloth) I was blown away by the simplicity, adaptability, and downright common-sense of it. The elegance!

When I showed it to some non-design friends, however, they were non-plussed. "It's just a cloth", they scoffed "I wouldn't remember how to tie it.", they said.

So here, for them, is 'Furochicí'; the traditional wrapping cloth, increased in size slightly (to 1m square) and with the little addition of popper buttons to make it that little bit less intimidating to fold into a bag. Of course, none of the flexibility of the original is lost, as it can still be knotted the old-fashioned way.

And of course, if you're of the hipster persuasion, wear it as a stylin' scarf.

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